I’m trying something new for sourdough quarantine baking: pumpkin cinnamon rolls. The two cans were the perfect amount. Because the filling is wetter than regular cinnamon rolls, the unrisen rolls are droopy. I don’t think it will matter, but I’ll see! I intend to eat these for breakfast, so they are healthier, too: less sugar, basted with melted vegan butter, but none in the dough or spread on the rolled out sections.

Like this:

My vegan version of World War II Mayonnaise Cake, baked at 7,000 feet elevation. Mayonnaise Cake was created by inventive cooks who looked for ways to make familiar foods in a time of rationing. The mayonnaise substitutes for butter and eggs. I used Vegenaise and a modified New York Times recipe.

My recipe:

Cocoa Vegan Mayonnaise Cake

1. Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil: Try using tea or coffee to add flavors like espresso and peppermint.

5. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups flour (I use home ground whole wheat, but commercial whole wheat pastry flour all-purpose flour work, too) until there are not any lumps.

7. Use a spatula to help pour the batter into a greased 8- or 9-inch diameter pan or cookie sheet with bar cookie indentations or a cup cake pan (smaller cakes are better at high altitude). Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on altitude and size of cake(s), until the tops spring back when the center is gently pressed.

Like this:

What if there was a year-round method of cooking that was low cost, powered by sunlight, non-polluting, and easy to do even in college dorms, apartment balconies and off-the-grid locations?There is: solar cooking.

In the 21st century, the need for sustainable cooking solutions is great, including fossil fuel-caused climate change, the end of cheap oil, and deforestation due to firewood collection. Whether you spend a couple of hours building a simple solar cooker out of cardboard and foil, or buy a sturdy commercial model, it is possible to do everything from simmering to blanching, poaching, steaming, sautéing, braising, baking, roasting, toasting, pan frying, grilling, food canning, medical sterilization, and even making ice (at night!).

My book includes the followinginformation:

How to choose the right solar cooker for you based on your climate and lifestyle needs

More than 100 vegetarian solar recipes and tips

How to adapt slow cooker recipes to a solar cooker

How to adapt your favorite recipes to a solar cooker

How to safely can foods using USDA canning guidelines

How to create a year-round sustainable cooking system that combines the use of solar cookers, fireless cookers, pressure cookers, and biomass-fueled stoves and earth ovens